Has leisure got anything to do with learning? An exploratory study of the lifestyles of young people in Hong Kong universities

Abstract

This paper examines the role of leisure in the lives of Hong Kong higher education students. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methodologies, the paper explores several patterns of involvement of full-time undergraduate students in leisure and learning. It further suggests various ways in which these two domains of students' lives can be related. A total of 266 diaries and 40 semi-structured interviews were used to solicit the data on student experiences across the seven higher education institutions in Hong Kong. Results showed a unique blend of the leisure and learning domains of students' lives especially in the context of group activities, in which leisure activities were related to strong social bonding and to the establishment of coherent study groups with classmates. The discussion focuses on the possible relationships between student learning and leisure and on how the different patterns of student involvement in these two domains inform an alternative conceptual framework for understanding the role of leisure in their lives and development. References are made to previous studies on higher education students and implications are drawn for future research in this area.

Learning Wellness: A Water Exercise Class in Zagreb, Croatia

“…An exercise class is one way that older adults can come together in a common interest and learn something interesting and motivational. Many older adults are learning a variety of topics during this choice of exercise in free time (Sivan, 2003). This learning comes not only from effective instructors but also from one another (Van Norman, 1995).…”

“…Many older adults learn a great deal during exercise in free time (Sivan, 2003); this learning comes not only from effective instructors but also from one another (Van Norman, 1995). Classes with older adults also have become a forum to learn from one another on how to age successfully (Roberson, 2005).…”

“It Was Really Tough”—Exploring the Feelings of Isolation and Cultural Dissonance With Black American Males at a Predominantly White Institution

“…This support could lead to more enriching and meaningful college experiences for Black American males from low SES backgrounds. Leisure can play a mitigating role to many of the stressors and societal issues facing this population and serve as a means for young men to better realize the psychological and cognitive benefits of the college experience (Kuh, 1993; Mannell & Kleiber, 1997; Sivan, 2003). However, leisure can also reflect and reinforce broader societal issues that might negatively influence an individual’s college experience (Gobster, 2002; Shaw, 2001; Stodolska, 2007; Stodolska, Shinew, Floyd, & Walker, 2014).…”

The effect of leisure coping on depressive symptoms among individuals with depression: examination of potential confounding effects of physical activity and extraversion

“…In addition, the sample was predominantly female with relatively high educational attainment. Although females have higher rates of depression diagnoses (Donkin et al, 2012), higher educational attainment has been linked to leisure behavior (Sivan, 2003) potentially biasing results. Another limitation is that leisure coping may have been interpreted differently by participants.…”